ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Despite recording nine hits, the Ouachita Tigers dropped a midweek, non-conference match to the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys on Tuesday. Tech finished with just five hits but defeated Ouachita, 3-1.
Arkansas Tech (16-21) started the scoring in the top of the first, taking a one-run lead on a two-out single. Ouachita (10-23) followed with consecutive singles and a walk in the bottom of the inning, but the Wonder Boys recorded the third out as the Tigers left the bases loaded.
In the top of the fourth, the Wonder Boys extended their lead to 2-0 after a single, a steal, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
Ryan Hammer then led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, but two strikeouts and a fly out left another on base.
Ouachita finally capitalized in the fifth inning when
Victor Draijer singled to the shortstop to score
Drew Feuerbacher from third. Feuerbacher started the half-inning with a double before
Jakahari Howell pushed him to third on a sacrifice bunt.
Justin Weigle and
Will Wallace then followed with back-to-back singles again, but a groundout left runners at the corners.
Behind a single, hit by pitch and two sacrifice hits, the Wonder Boys scored one run in the top of the seventh to take a 3-1 lead over the Tigers.
Zach Gloff then recorded a strikeout and forced a groundout to leave two Wonder Boys stranded. In the bottom of the seventh, Weigle recorded his third single of the contest and eventually made his way to third on a steal and an error. With runners on the corners, Arkansas Tech once again escaped with a double play to preserve the lead. The Tigers were then held without a hit in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing Arkansas Tech to take the victory.
Lance Cullum started on the mound for the Tigers but was handed the loss. The Tigers used eight different pitchers in the loss, including
Jacob May,
Tryce Schalchlin,
Jayme Lovelace,
Bo Sutton and
Josh Reeves, who combined for five innings without allowing a hit. The Tigers also did not allow a walk for just the second time this season.
Ouachita will return to Great American Conference play on Friday, as the Tigers host Southwestern Oklahoma State for a three-game series at Rab Rodgers Field. The first game is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday.
